The Personalised Ecology Index: A novel measure of an individual's direct sensory interactions with nature

Authors: Frederica A. Poznansky, Mark Ferguson, Lewis R. Elliott, Joanne K. Garrett, Rebecca Lovell, Benjamin B. Phillips, Kevin J. Gaston

Abstract

1. Biodiversity is under threat from human activities globally. The implications for human–nature interactions may be driving a vicious cycle—whereby less biodiversity means fewer human–nature interactions, less awareness of the importance of biodiversity and therefore greater human impacts. Understanding and quantifying an individual's nature interactions, or personalised ecologies, could help understand changes in human–nature interactions.
2. Here we report the piloting of a Personalised Ecology Index (PEI), a novel measure which aims to quantify multiple aspects of an individual's direct sensory interactions with nature into a numeric score. To construct and evaluate the PEI, we used two national surveys in the United Kingdom that explore the interactions between people and nature.
3. Using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling, we show that four proposed axes of the PEI—frequency, duration, diversity and intensity of exposure to nature—demonstrate a valid formative construct. We further demonstrate the robustness of the index to variation in its constituent questions, both in terms of their composition and temporal recall period. Finally, we demonstrate construct validity in terms of the association of PEI scores with the rural–urban classification of participants' residential area and perceived greenspace availability, and discriminant validity with a measure of nature connectedness.
4. Further exploration of the dynamic, bidirectional relationship between people's interactions with nature will help to inform wider environmental and infrastructural policy measures. This may be critical for curbing and reversing the biodiversity crisis.